ever tried to keep, or enjoyed as a Sabbath. This day was succeeded by months of conflict, doubt, and sometimes despair. His circumstances were unfavorable; his trials many. His mind seemed dark, stubborn, stormy, and, in his own phrase, "gloomy as death." He manifestly had not, as yet, seen clearly the way of salvation through the cross of Christ. One Sabbath morning in April, he walked the fields in extremest agony, and several times fell on his face in utter despair of mercy, and in that attitude tried to pray, but could not. In connection with the privileges and instructions of the day, he obtained relief. He gained a sweet view of Christ, and peace sprang up in his breast. He says: "I had a charming evening and night, almost all of which I spent in the same fields." Thus the same fields were trodden at morning in misery, at evening with joy. Such is the power of Christ seen by faith. On the first of May, 1796, just one year from the memorable Sabbath referred to above, Mr. Clark joined the church, and took his seat among the followers of the Lamb.

He soon formed the purpose of preparing for the ministry ; and, in 1802, commenced his academical studies under the care of Rev. Dr. Finley of Baskinridge. He entered Princeton College in 1805, and graduated in 1808, with so high a reputation for scholarship, that the offer of a tutorship was made to him. He however declined it, that he might enter at once upon his professional studies; which he did, under the direction of the Presbytery of New-York. In May, 1809, he left Newark in company with Dr. Griffin for Andover; the latter to be a teacher in that infant Seminary, the former a student. His residence at Andover was from one to two years. In the course of it, the place was favored with a revival of religion, in which Mr. Clark was very deeply interested, and for the promotion of which he labored with great zeal and success. In October, 1810, before finally leaving Andover, he was examined and licensed to preach the gospel by the Presbytery of New-Jersey. On January 1, 1812, he was ordained a minister of the gospel, and installed pastor of the congregational Union Church of Braintree and Weymouth. In June of the same year, he was married at Portland, to Miss Eliza Barker, daughter of Dr. Jeremiah Barker, of Gorham. The field, in which Mr. Clark commenced his ministry, was a somewhat difficult and rugged one. He seems to have entered and continued in it with many trials. Here he remained, strongly and

pointedly proclaiming the great truths of the Bible, till the fall of 1815, when the state of his wife's health, which demanded a milder atmosphere, together with the opposition arrayed against him, induced him to seek a dismission. This he obtained and removed to New-Jersey, and labored through the winter at Hanover, amid scenes of religious interest. Äfter a brief ministry of three or four years in Southbury, Connecticut, of which there are no records at hand, Mr. Clark accepted a call from the first church and society in Amherst, Mass., and was installed Jan. 26, 1820; Rev. Mr. Porter of Farmington preaching on the occasion.

At this time Mr. Clark was in the maturity and full strength of his faculties; and it was here that he prepared and preached some of his ablest sermons. Amongst those listened to with peculiar interest, was a series on the text: "For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle;" which, with many more of his best discourses, were unfortunately lost, by being lent to a clerical friend. There was one season of special religious interest, during his ministry in Amherst, which he watched over with great solicitude, and labored most abundantly to promote. There was also a revival in college, which acquired impulse and purity from his bold and fervid preaching. The college owes much to Mr. Clark, for his eloquent pleadings and generous efforts in its behalf, during its precarious infancy.

Mr. Clark had trials in this field. There sat upon his case one of the ablest and most imposing councils we have ever witnessed. There were thronged assemblies, and eloquen advocates, and venerable judges. The result was altogether favorable to the pastor. With full confidence in his ability and disposition to be highly useful, the council cordially tendered to their brother and friend their affectionate salutations."

Soon after this, Mr. Clark withdrew from Amherst, in acceptance of a call to the church in Bennington, Vermont, where he was installed June 14, 1826. His early friend and teacher, Dr. Griffin, was a member of the Council, and preached the sermon on the occasion. It was a peculiar satisfaction to him, to be in the vicinity of that venerable man, to whom he owed so much, and whom he loved so well. Dr. Griffin was often at his house, and in pleasant familiarity would pat him on his shoulder and call him his boy.

His ministry here was a laborious and successful one. As

heretofore, he proclaimed the truth and assailed wickedness with great faithfulness and boldness: and the Spirit gave it efficacy, and stubborn wills were bowed beneath it. But while some submitted, others were more malignantly aroused. One instance is related of threatening hostility, which resulted in a very remarkable way. A few fellows, in their desperation, banded together violently to break up an inquirymeeting, held at the court-house. They armed themselves with stones and proceeded to the place. When they came in sight of the house, they were met by a power they had not thought of. The stones fell from their hands, and the greater part of them went reverently in, and submitted their minds to the instructions and influences, which just before, in their hatred, they meant to abolish. Neither the particulars of this work, nor of his ministry in this place, are now at hand.

He received a dismission from his charge here, and in the fall of 1830 went to Troy, N. Y., to supply the pulpit of Dr. Beman, who found it necessary to travel to the South on account of his health. He seems to have entered upon this field with great earnestness, and performed, during his stay, a vast amount of labor. He adventured, in concurrence with the session, upon what was altogether a new thing in that region, "a four days' meeting." He felt the responsibility of the measure; he called in the assistance of his brethren, and called upon the church to pray. Many were convicted and brought to the knowledge of the Saviour, and a powerful revival extended throughout the city and to many places in the vicinity. Mr. Clark's labors in this place were highly appreciated, and will be remembered by many, with joyful interest, to the ages of eternity. He subsequently labored in Utica and vicinity, in places where God was pouring out his Spirit. His preaching was much sought after, and very highly prized in these scenes of hallowed interest.

On July 17, 1832, Mr. Clark was installed over the Presbyterian church in Adams, Jefferson Co., N. Y. This was his last charge, and his labors here were brief, being obliged, by the state of his health, to withdraw at the end of little more than a year. His iron constitution, which had stood firm under the hardest labors and most heaving emotions, now gave way. On Saturday, he poured out his fervid eloquence and searching appeals to assembled and listening minds, at Sackett's Harbor. On the Sabbath, he preached to his own people. On

Monday he was requested to return to the Harbor, as the truths of Saturday were taking effect. To the surprise of his friends, he refused. On the same day, he attempted to write the skeleton of a sermon, which he handed to his wife, and said, with great emotion: "I am done. I cannot read that paper. I leave you a widow, and my children orphans." "Never to my dying day," says one of his sons, " shall I forget the manner, in which my father received the unwelcome evidence, that his disease had laid hold upon his vitals." From that moment his great strength was gone. He took leave of his people, and, in the fall of 1833, removed to New-York, where, after a few weeks, he was attacked with his first stroke of paralysis. Various means were resorted to, to arrest the progress of the disease, but in vain. In the fall of 1834, he went to the South, and spent the winter at Charleston, S. C. Here he preached occasionally, and contributed to the New-York Observer his "First Impressions of Charleston," with the signature," A bird in the air." Subsequently he resided for a season in New-Haven, where he preached his last sermon. He employed himself, in the intervals of comparative strength, in writing for different periodicals, and prominently in preparing for the press, and superintending the publication of the three volumes of sermons, which came out in 1836 and 1837, and which we have placed at the head of this article.

His disease at length came upon him in renewed and severer attacks, till it broke down the strong texture of his mind. He often expressed the wish, that he might die in the possession of his faculties, and with his hopes of heaven firm and bright. While he was favored with some seasons, such as he desired, it was often his lot to lie, both mentally and spiritually, under a cloud. During these seasons, there were occasionally decisive indications of the strong religious habit of his mind, and of his warm attachment to the cause of Christ. After he had lost the power of speech and even of consciousness, as it was thought, a friend related in his room the particulars of a work of grace in Broadway Tabernacle where he loved to attend church. He received the intelligence, and it seemed to thrill his bosom, for he cast forth, at the close, a beaming glance, and then burst into tears. Zion, for whose welfare he labored in life, he loved in death. On March 3, 1840, without a struggle or a groan, he calmly fell asleep in Jesus.

In the social character of Mr. Clark, there was much sim

plicity and frankness. He was ever ready to declare his sentiments with a free, bold independence. This trait, existing in connection with a deficiency of worldly tact and management, not unfrequently brought him into circumstances of trial and difficulty. Hence it was, that wherever he went, he had many very warm friends, and some as warm enemies.

In his religious character, Mr. Clark seems not to have been characterized by the cheerful and hopeful. In the fine language of Robert Hall, he did not so much "soar to the heights, as sound the depths of Christian piety." Instead of "regaling himself with fruit from the tree of life, he was often on the waves of an impetuous sea, doing business in the mighty waters." With all his experience of human depravity, and his profound estimate of its malignant and dreadful energies, he had firm confidence in the greatness of the atonement, and the greater energies, already pledged and soon to be put forth, in the subjugation of a world to Christ.

He loved to contemplate God as on the throne, the Almighty Sovereign in the kingdom of nature and of grace, achieving his benignant purposes, bringing into service the wrath of his foes, securing the redemption of unnumbered souls, and the glory of his own great name. He loved revivals of religion, and ever deemed it a privilege, and was prompt to labor in the midst of them. It was a gratification to him, if, by his efforts, he could benefit the sinner or the disciple. When an obscure woman, in the interior of New-York, pressed through the crowd, that she might grasp the hand that wrote "The Church Safe," and express her gratitude for the benefits she had received, he replied to her, with strongly gushing emotions: "My good woman, I am thankful to the Lord if my poor labors have been useful to you."

Mr. Clark prayed like a man who was accustomed to the exercise. He prayed in the sanctuary with great fervor, often, with a surprising richness and scope of sentiment. His range and variety were indeed remarkable. He was loth to cease praying with others, when his faculties had become exceedingly impaired. He prayed with his family, after he had so far lost the power of articulation, that they could not understand him, In his clearer moments, he would call them around his bed, that he might again commend them to God. He attached, also, the highest importance to the intercessions of the church. He was the first that proposed the observance of the first Monday of